Sheet metal securing apparatus



March 8, 1966 w. D. MARIN@ SHEET METAL SECURING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1963 `INVENTOR WALTER VD. MAR\NG BY Mw March 8, 1966 w. D. MARING SHEET METAL SECURING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet z Filed March 8, 1963 INVENTOR.

WALTER D. MARNG United States Patent O 3,238,762 SHEET METAL SECG APPARATUS Walter D. Maring, Shelby, Ind., assignor'to lohn Franklin Burcham, Sr., River Grove, Ill. Filed Mar. S, 1963, Ser. No. 263,769 15 Claims. (Cl. 72-408) The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for securing sections of roof deck plates and the like together firmly and is particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of a power apparatus for dimpling interengaged flanged edges of roof deck plates or the like.

More particularly, the apparatus is mounted on large wheels so as to be easily moved along a surface. The mounting for the wheels is adjustable to adapt the apparatus for service on deck plates having different dimensional characteristics. Further, the apparatus is powered through a novel clutch mechanism which is manually engaged and is automatically disengaged following each successive operation of the dimpling devices driven thereby. The dimpling devices or tools are carried by jaws that are moved into position for performing work through actuation of eccentrics driven when the clutch is engaged.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the character described.

Another object is to provide novel clutch means for apparatus of the character described.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel wheeel mountings.

Another object is to provide novel drive means for the dimpling tools of an apparatus of the character described.

Another object is to provide a rugged very serviceable apparatus for the purposes described which is not expensive to manufacture, is easy to use and very efficient in use.

The structure and means by which the above noted and other advantages and objects of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus showing it in use.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the clutch mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a view of the toothed face of one of the clutch elements, as viewed along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view of the tool carrying arms.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a deck plate seam of a kind operated upon by the apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary View showing the wheel mounting adjusted.

Referring to the exemplary disclosure of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, the apparatus is designed for use in clinching or dimpling t-he seams connecting adjacent plates in a roof deck assembly or the like. As illustrated, such deck assemblies frequently comprise elongated plates 11 each having a plurality of uniformly spaced reinforcing ribs 12 integral therewith and which may vary in spacing and Width depending upon the source of manufacture and the use to which the plates are put. The plates 11 are formed (FIG. 7) on opposed edges with an upstanding flange 13 and a reverse flange 14. When mated, the flange 13 on one plate is embraced by flange 14 on an adjacent plate and ice the seam is secured by dimpling same at spaced intervals, as at 15. This is presently done in a tedious fashion with hand tools such as large tongs. The apparatus of the present invention is designed to be wheeled along the plates while straddling a seam and to be actuated periodically to perform dimpling operations at selected intervals.

More particularly, the apparatus comprises essentially a suitable frame structure including frame plates 17 which in turn are secured firmly, as by welding, to a transverse upstanding plate 18. These plates 17, 18 support an integrally connected horizontal plate 19 and an upstanding wall 21 upon which is mounted a gear reduction boX 22 and motor 23. In the present disclosure an electric motor is shown but it may be an internal combustion engine. An output shaft 24 projects from the gear reduction box 22 and extends through said wall 21 as shown.

A clutch 25, to be described 4in detail hereinafter, is carried in part on shaft 24. This clutch, which normally is disengaged, is actuated by a bell-crank lever 26 journalled at 27 in a bracket 23 secured to and bridging plate 18 and wall 21. The lever 26 is connected by a flexible cable 29 to a hand lever 31 mounted on one of a pair of handles 16. When the clutch is engaged during motor operation, a shaft portion 32 is rotated to actuate the dimpling devices now to be described.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the upstanding plate 13 has a companion plate 33, of substantial like configuration and size, spaced therefrom and secured firmly thereto at their upper ends by stake bolts 34. A pair of arms 35, 36 are arranged between these plates. AS shown the arms are journalled adjacent to their lower ends on a common axis, as at 37, between the lower ends of said plates. The arm 36 is bifurcated (FIG. 6) in the region of its pivot, as at 38, to receive the lower end of the other arm 35 nested therein, and each arm 35, 36 is formed on its lower end with a head 39, 41 respectively, one having a recess 42 therein complemental to a projection 43 on the other head. The upper extremities of the arms 35, 36 are normally drawn together about their pivot 37 by means of connecting springs 44 and each lever arm carries on its upper end a roller 45, 46, respectively.

Upon reference to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the driven shaft portion 32 carries a pair of diarnetrically opposed eccentrics 47, 48, one disposed for engagement with each of the rollers 45, 46. lt should be evident that when the eccentrics are in the positions shown in FIG. 3, the upper end portions of arms 35, 36 are spread apart thus bringing the heads 39, 41 thereof together. This movement is of course effected only when a seam 113-14 is disposed between the heads at which time the seam is dimpled by the complementary projection-recess 43-42 thereon.

Such movement of the arms 35, 36 occurs only when hand lever 31 is manipulated and only one cycle of operation occurs during each manipulation. This cyclical operation is effected through operation of clutch 25. Referring now to yFIGS. 4 and 5, the clutch includes an element 49 fixed on shaft portion 32 and a complemental element 51 slidable on shaft 24. The element 49' has radial notches 52 on its face opposed to element 511 and element 51 has responding radial teeth 53 to engage in said notches. A spring 54 normally holds the clutch faces spaced apart. They are engaged upon manipulation of hand lever 31 and, upon completion of one-half revolution, they are automatically disengaged even though the operator may not have released the hand lever. To accomplish this, the slidable clutch element 51 is formed on its periphery with cam surfaces 55 that engage and ride up a shoulder 56 formed on bracket 27, during clutch rotation. As shown, there are two such cam surfaces 55,

diametrically opposed. It should be evident that during a time when the clutch is engaged, the eccentrics 47, 48 will function to expand the related ends of arms 35, 36, thus bringing the dimpling heads 39, 41 together over the seam, dimpling same, and to then release said arms so that they can return to contracted positions under the influence of springs 44. The apparatus then is moved into another position along the seam.

Movement of the apparatus along the seam and from one seam to another is accomplished easily by reason of the presence of large support wheels 57 thereon. As shown, there are two such wheels mounted on a common shaft S8 and spaced apart a distance to locate each for riding along the surface of ribs 12 on the deck plates. Since these ribs vary in spacing, the spacing of wheels 57 may be varied by adding or removing one or more washers 59 on shaft 58. The shaft S8 is carried in the free end of a pair of arms 61 that are pivotally secured at their other ends to plates 17. Links 62, connected to the shaft at one end, have their other ends adjustably connected to said plates 17 by screws 63 that extend through and are guided along inclined slots 64. This mounting permits the wheels to be adjusted in a vertical direction relative to the frame to compensate for any variances in the heighth of the support surface relative to the seam to be worked.

As best illustrated in FIG. 8, the handles 16 are secured, as by welding, one to each link 62. When the position of the links 62 is changed, the positions of the handles 16 relative to the frame are also changed in an amount to retain them at substantially the same elevation with respect to the surface at all times.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure disclosed may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a support frame, a pair of arms pivotally mounted between their ends on a common pivot and on said frame, a shaft, a pair of eccentrics on said shaft one engageable with one end portion of each of said arms, complemental forming tools on the other end portions of said arms, and drive means for said eccentrics, said eccentrics operating to spread the related ends of the arms.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a support frame, a pair of arms pivotally mounted between their ends on a common pivot and on said frame, a shaft, a pair of eccentrics on said shaft one engageable with one end portion of each of said arms, complemental forming tools on the other end portions of said arms, drive means for said eccentrics, said eccentrics operating to spread the related ends of the arms, and spring means to return the arms to their initial positions.

3. In the apparatus recited in claim 2, in which the arms are pivoted on a horizontal axis.

4. Apparatus for dimpling overlapped seams comprising, in combination, a frame, wheels supporting said frame, a pair of arms pivotally connected one to the other closely adjacent to one of their ends and to said frame to provide elongated arm portions and head portions, spring means normally urging the elongated arm portions toward one another to spread the head portions, eccentric means operable to spread the elongated arm portions for bringing the head portions toward one another, and dimpling tools in said head portions.

5. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, an upstanding frame structure, wheels supporting said structure for movement over a surface, a motor Carried adjacent to the upper portion of said frame structure, a rotatable shaft connected to said motor, an

idle shaft, a normally disengaged clutch for connecting said shafts, a plurality of eccentrics on the idle shaft, and a pair of upstanding arms associated with said eccentrics, said arms being pivotally mounted to the lower portion of said frame structure, manual means operable to engage said clutch for actuating the eccentrics, and means to automatically disengage the clutch.

6. In the apparatus recited in claim 5, in which the wheels are mounted for vertical and lateral adjustment relative to the frame.

'l'. ln apparatus recited in claim 5, in which the arms have work piece engaging means on their lower ends.

8. In apparatus recited in claim 5, in which the arms are pivotally mounted on a common axis intermediate to their ends.

In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a frame structure, a pair of substantially vertically disposed arms pivotally mounted between their ends on a common pivot and to one end of said frame structure to provide upstanding elongated arm portions and depending head portions, a shaft mounted on said frame, a pair of eccentrics on said shaft one engageable with the elongated portion of each arm, complemental forming tools on the head portions of said arms, a motor, a clutch operable to connect said motor to said shaft whereby said eccentrics operate to sperad the elongated end portions of said arms to bring the head portions toward one another, spring means to return the arms to their initial position after being spread by said eccentrics, wheels mounted at the other end of said frame structure, mounting means for said wheels adjustable to raise and lower the said wheels relative to the frame structure for raising and lowering the tool carrying arms, and a handle extending outwardly from said other end of the frame structure and secured to said wheel mounting means, said handles being adjustable in unison with adjustment of said mounting means so as to remain at a substantially uniform elevation.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, in which the mounting means for said wheels comprises a link structure pivotally and slidably connected to the frame structure.

11. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a frame structure, a pair of substantially vertically disposed arms pivotally mounted between their ends on a common pivot and on one end of said frame structure to provide elongated arm portions and head portions, a shaft mounted on said frame, a pair of eccentrics on said shaft one engageable with the elongated portions of each arm, complemental forming tools on the head portions of said arms, a motor for driving said eccentrics to spread the elongated end portions of said arms to bring the head portions toward one another, spring means to return the arms to their initial position after being spread by said eccentrics, wheels mounted at the other end of said frame structure, mounting means for said wheels adjustable to raise and lower the said wheels relative to the frame structure, for raising and lowering the tool carrying arms, and a handle extending outwardly from said other end of the frame structure and secured to said wheel mounting means, said handle being adjustable in unison with adjustment of said mounting means so as to remain at a substantially uniform elevation.

12. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a frame structure, a pair of substantially vertically disposed arms pivoted between their ends on a common pivot and at one end of said frame structure to provide upstanding elongated arm portions and depending head portions, eccentrics engageable with the elongated portions of said arms, complemental forming tools on the head portions of said arms, a motor for driving said eccentrics to spread the elongated end portions of said arms to bring the head portions toward one another, means to return thc arms to their initial position after being spread by said eccentrics, wheels mounted at the other end of said frame structure, mounting means for said wheels adpustable to raise and lower the said wheels relative to the frame structure for raising and lowering the tool carrying arms, and a handle extending outwardly from said other end of the frame structure and secured to said wheel mounting means, said handles being adjustable in unison with adjustment of said mounting means so as to remain at a substantially uniform elevation.

13. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, a frame structure, a pair of substantially vertically disposed arms pivotally mounted between their ends on a common pivot and on one end of said frame structure to provide upstanding elongated arm portions and depending head portions, eccentrics engageable with the elongated portions of said arms, complemental forming tools on the hed portions of said arms, a motor, a clutch operable to connect said motor to said eccentrics whereby said eccentrics operate to sperad the elongated end portions of said arms to bring the head portions toward one another, wheels mounted at the other end of said frame structure, mounting means for said wheels adjustable to raise and lower the said wheels relative to the frame structure for raising and lowering the tool carrying arms, and a handle on said other end of the frame structure integral with said wheel mounting means, said handles being adjustable in unison with adjustment of said mounting means so as to remain at a substantially uniform elevation.

14. Apparatus for dimpling overlapped seams joining substantially horizontally disposed plates comprising, in

combination, a frame structure, wheels supporting said structure, for movement along said seam, a pair of arms carried by the frame structure, said arms lying in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said plates, dimpling tools carried on the lower ends of said arms and embracing said seam, power operated eccentrics one operable to actuate each of said arms, and means to adjust said wheels on the frame to vary the elevation of said dimpling tools. Y

15. Apparatus for dimpling overlapped seams joining substantially horizontally disposed plates comprising, in combination, a frame structure, wheels supporting said structure, for movement along said seam, a pair of arms carried by the frame structure, said arms lying in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said plates, dimpling tools carried on the lower ends of said arms and embracing said seam, power operated means operable -to actuate said arms, a motor to actuate said power operated means, a normally disengaged half cycle clutch between said motor and power operated means, and means to adjust said wheels on the frame to vary the elevation of said dimpling tools.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 647,697 4/ 1900 Connor 113-56 1,061,848 5/1913 Jones 113-55 2,766,631 10/1956 Van Sittert 81-15 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

14. APPARATUS FOR DIMPLING OVERLAPPED SEAMS JOINING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PLATES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME STRUCTURE, WHEELS SUPPORTING SAID STRUCTURE, FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID SEAM, A PAIR OF ARMS CARRIED BY THE FRAME STRUCTURE, SAID ARMS LYING IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF SAID PLATES, DIMPLING TOOLS CARRIED ON THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID ARMS AND EMBRACING SAID SEAM, POWER OPERATED ECCENTRICS ONE OPERABLE TO ACTUATE EACH OF SAID ARMS, AND MEANS TO ADJUST SAID WHEELS ON THE FRAME TO VARY THE ELEVATION OF SAID DIMPLING TOOLS. 